


Modern Love

by heartsdesire456



Series: Child of the Future [3]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: AU of my AU, Alternate Universe - Business Men, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cute Kids, Family Fluff, Humor, M/M, Thranduil has a cold
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-07 14:54:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4267524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsdesire456/pseuds/heartsdesire456
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thranduil has a cold.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>When Thorin got to the kitchen and fixed his coffee to take with him, Nyris came in, backpack on and ready to go. “Is Eme dying?” she asked casually as she got a slice of bread and put it in the toaster. “Or will he live to see another day?”</i></p><p> </p><p>  <i>Thorin chuckled. “Be nice,” he chastised, giving her a look. “Your mother’s penchant for drama is how he has his fun. </i></p><p> </p><p>(Technically, an AU of the already AU <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/series/270399">Child of the Future series</a>, but can be read 100% on it's own.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Modern Love

**Author's Note:**

> I KNOW it's so weird to write and AU or your own AU but I imagined this whole thing and it was funny so I wrote it.
> 
> I may write more in the future, we'll see.

Thorin finished tying his tie and turned from the closet mirror. “My dear, are you quite sure you will be alright without calling a doctor?” he asked, walking back out into the bedroom. Thranduil was sprawled out dramatically in the bed, golden hair draped across the black, satin pillows. 

“A doctor cannot help me. I’m done for,” Thranduil moaned, sounding fully stuffed up. He rolled his head to the side, pouting dramatically. “Thorin,” he sighed, reaching out. “Come closer.”

Thorin bit back a smile and walked over, kneeling on the bed beside Thranduil. “Thranduil, you will be fine.” He looked down at Thranduil, who rolled his head back, baring his long, slender throat and half of his chest as his shimmery, flowery dressing gown fell apart, revealing that he wore nothing under it. “You just have a cold, my dear.” He stroked his hair from his forehead and Thranduil pouted.

“I have a plague, Thorin. I’m _dying_.” He looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table. “I suspect by noon I shall be no longer of this world,” he predicted.

Thorin snorted, shaking his head. “You’re going to be fine by noon, more likely.” He leaned down and kissed his forehead, hesitating for a minute. “You don’t feel warm. You should be fine.”

Thranduil sniffed, looking away. “I get it. You do not love me anymore. You’re glad I’m going to die.”

Thorin rolled his eyes. “I will send Kili home around lunch to check on you,” he said as he climbed off the bed. “He will stay and care for you if you are still ill.”

Thranduil sat up, eyes wide as he watched Thorin put on his jacket. “You really do wish for me to die, then!” he accused, and Thorin rolled his eyes.

“Kili is not that bad-“

“He started a _fire_ with _coffee_ at your office, Thorin! He cannot care for me! I’ll surely die!” he argued.

Thorin smirked, looking over at him. “Well it is good that you appear to be feeling better, then,” he said and Thranduil looked around and then dramatically flopped back onto the bed, making Thorin chuckle. “Stay in bed and rest, my dear. You will be just fine.”

When Thorin got to the kitchen and fixed his coffee to take with him, Nyris came in, backpack on and ready to go. “Is Eme dying?” she asked casually as she got a slice of bread and put it in the toaster. “Or will he live to see another day?”

Thorin chuckled. “Be nice,” he chastised, giving her a look. “Your mother’s penchant for drama is how he has his fun. It certainly can’t be very nice to work with those imbeciles every day.”

“You mean like my brother?” Nyris asked and Thorin gave her a warning look.

“Your brother isn’t that bad,” he argued. “Now that assistant of his, Galion.” Thorin made a face. “Quite ridiculous man. Such a tit.”

Nyris giggled. “True, he picked us up from school one day and forgot Frerin existed. He tried to leave without him.”

Thorin tutted. “And this is why I don’t trust people with you three.” He watched as she got her toast as soon as it popped out. He nodded to the hall. “Go get your brother and sister. We need to go soon, alright?”

“Yes, Ada,” she said, dragging her feet as she left to go make sure the others were ready.

~

After dropping the kids off at school, Thorin got to work just in time to fall in step with Fili as he crossed the lobby. “Nyris texted,” Fili said first thing. “Said Thranduil’s ill.”

“Just a cold. He’s just dramatic,” Thorin dismissed. “I told him I’ll call him at mid-day and if he’s still unwell, I’ll send Kili to look after him.” He looked at his watch. “Did somebody tell Legolas so he doesn’t get a call from Thranduil about how he’s dying of the plague?”

Fili chuckled. “I’m sure he’s well used to it.”

Thorin smiled to himself as they entered the elevator and watched the numbers flash by as the carriage climbed higher and higher up the building Thorin had known for almost his entire life.

Erebor Industries was one of the first Dwarf-founded companies and was still, by far, the most successful. For the longest time, Dwarves were seen as less intelligent beings and treated as such. It was not until the last century or so that Dwarves who had taken risks and decided to go from working in mines, metal working, logging, and farming and begin taking part in the industry being built around them. Erebor Industries had been founded by Thorin’s great-grandfather nearly a century ago, and it was still a leading company that dominated the manufacturing markets internationally. Thorin was the fourth Dwarf of the Oakenshield family to be the CEO of Erebor Industries. Even as a large company, the Oakenshield family still ran the business with Thorin’s sister, Dis, as the President and her oldest son, Fili, as the Director of Operations. Kili, who was still quite young, was Thorin’s personal assistant, so that Thorin could show him what it was like to run a business in hopes one day he would become a good businessman like his uncle.

Thranduil was not wrong, however, he did set fire to the break room making coffee once, so Thorin had his worries about the poor young dwarf.

Thorin’s husband was also a CEO. Thranduil Greenwood, one of the wealthiest Elves in the city, inherited business the same way Thorin did. Long before Dwarves were treated with any sort of equal dignity, Elves were heralded as the superior race, above Men, nonetheless Dwarves. The Greenwood family had long lived in prosperity and been respected before industry was even widespread. The Greenwood Corporation dealt in raw materials sold to manufacturers like Erebor Industries, but from the time of Thorin’s grandfather and Thranduil’s grandfather, there had been a long held grudge between the companies. There was some bad business deal done between their grandfathers that made them both swear to only deal with each other’s greatest rivals, and for decades that was the case. 

Before he was even a man, Thorin knew of Thranduil Greenwood, as most did, from his scandals. In his teen years, it was not uncommon to see headlines about Oropher Greenwood’s delinquent son, being caught at gatherings in the forest, with other nature-types, the ones who slept in hammocks and did loads of drugs for weeks on end. At a very young age, barely eighteen, in what everybody agreed was an act of defiance, Thranduil married a girl from one of his gatherings and disappeared altogether. He showed up again two years later with a son when his wife died of a drug overdose. He immediately went into business with his father and all the scandals were something of the past, for he was a cold, more hardened person than he had been as a child. 

Because of his attitude towards Dwarves in general, Thorin ran into him several times at mutual business events and they somehow developed a rivalry and a bit of a petty habit of trading insults. For years, they went at each other’s throats any time they ran into each other. It was only after nearly twenty years of such dislike that Thorin and Thranduil somehow found themselves as representatives of their respective businesses (Thranduil in charge of his own after his father’s death, and Thorin unknowingly less than a year from being in the same situation) at a conference. Petty bickering over drinks at the hotel bar turn into several more drinks and before the night was out, ended in them back in Thorin’s hotel room in bed together. 

It was only a month later that Thranduil sought Thorin out because he was pregnant. 

For a few months they debated about what to do and whether to tell anybody who the father was, but in spite of their distaste in each other, they came to the agreement that it would be better for their reputations and for their businesses that they marry and end the petty hold-out between them. Both businesses would profit from Greenwood Corporation supplying Erebor Industries raw materials for their manufacturing, the scandal of one of the wealthiest Elves and the son of one of the wealthiest Dwarves in the city having a child out of wedlock would be averted, and their son or daughter would not have to face rude people labeling him or her a mistake.

Not long after they married, just before Nyris was born, Thorin’s father died very unexpectedly, leaving him in charge of managing all his affairs and filling his role in business. The stress of all of it nearly drove him mad, but Thranduil was so supportive and caring that he seemed surprised in himself, even. The need to be together, to support each other, to care for each other, and to spend more and more time together made them both realize they actually did have pretty strong feelings for each other. After Nyris was born, they found so much joy in being parents together and really started to love each other deeply. A man who had never had a lasting relationship in thirty-seven years of life, Thorin had never expected to find someone who owned his heart the way Thranduil did, but he had.

By the time Ithiliel and Frerin came along, Thorin and Thranduil were so incredibly happy in their marriage that even their families began to forget there was ever a rivalry between the Greenwood Elves and the Oakenshield Dwarves. When Thranduil nearly died at the end of his pregnancy with the twins due to a complication, Thorin’s sister and nephews were just as upset as he was while they waited at the hospital to know if Thranduil and the babies would survive the night. When they were out of the woods and sure to be well, Thorin’s sister had wept with joy she’d feared so much for her brother’s family. 

When Thorin made his way into his office, he stopped to pick up the photo of Thranduil and the children he kept on his desk and smiled warmly at the thought of how much had changed. After twelve years of marriage, there was no person, Dwarf, Elf, Man, or any other, that could ever compare to Thranduil. In spite of his age, Thranduil was still the most beautiful Elf Thorin had ever seen, but more than that, his every quality that Thorin had once found irritating, he only found endearing. His dramatic side, his picky side, even his obsession with his appearance, all of it was sweet and amusing where it once had been annoying. Thorin loved Thranduil and their children more than anything else in the world and he felt far more lucky to have the family he did than he felt lucky for the money and power he had.

He was torn from his thoughts by a knock at his door. “Hey Uncle,” Kili said, ducking his head in the door. “Is Thranduil actually in bed with Bird Flu?” he asked, looking worried.

Thorin snorted, rolling his eyes. “He has a slight cold. Didn’t even have a temperature when I left him. Did he text you that?” he asked, and Kili nodded.

“Said he had the Bird Flu and I might have to take the kids home with me later so they don’t catch it,” he replied.

“No,” Thorin said simply. “Though if he isn’t feeling any better by midday I may send you to our place to help him out. Get him some medicine, bring him some soup, that sort of thing.”

Kili nodded. “Alright, anything you need before then?” He lit up a bit. “The Head of Finance from Greenwood is coming for a meeting with Fili in about half an hour, so I wanted to go to that if you can spare me. It would be a great learning opportunity,” he finished sincerely.

Thorin gave him an amused look. “You mean you want to go awkwardly stare at Tauriel and blush when she looks at you?” he teased and Kili flushed, shaking his head rapidly.

“What? No, psshhhhh, yeah right-“

“Kili,” Thorin said flatly and he deflated some.

“She’s just so pretty,” Kili sighed, leaning against the doorway. “She’s absolutely the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. And she’s a bit scary. She could murder me with one of her shoes, I’m sure,” he said as if that were the greatest thought ever.

Thorin just laughed, shaking his head. “Fine, Kili. Go awkwardly stare at the pretty girl while she meets with your brother. I’ll be fine here.”

~ 

Thorin nodded as he looked through the file Nori had brought him up from the marketing department. “Yes, I see what you mean. There are definitely some numbers wrong there.” Thorin was interrupted from continuing by his phone ringing. He ignored it, knowing Kili could take a message, only for his cell phone to start ringing instead. He glared at it on his desk and Nori chuckled.

“I heard from Kili that your husband’s sick. Is it really pneumonia?” he asked and Thorin scoffed.

“It’s just a cold.” He picked up his cell phone and silenced the call. “Right, I can call him back, so as I was saying-“ This time it was _Nori’s_ cell phone that started ringing in his pocket. He frowned and dug it out and Thorin sighed. “For heaven’s sake, give it here.”

When Nori handed it over, Thorin answered it as soon as he confirmed the number on the screen was their home number. “Thranduil, how do you even have my employees’ numbers?” he asked instead of a greeting.

“I stole your contacts ages ago,” Thranduil answered instantly. “But Thorin, don’t worry about that now. Right now you must listen to me.”

Thorin leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand over his face. “What, Thranduil?”

Thranduil coughed weakly before speaking and Thorin noticed that he _did_ sound a bit more hoarse than he had earlier. “My darling, I fear I may no longer be among the living when you arrive home.” Thorin rolled his eyes. “I want you to make sure you tell the children I love them. Let Kili know that Tauriel definitely thinks he’s attractive even though she pretends she likes my son better. Also, tell my son I’m very sorry his mother and I did so many drugs that we thought it smart to name him Greenleaf Greenwood, there was definitely hallucinogenic fungi involved, I fear-“

“Thranduil, you are _not_ going to die,” Thorin said with a fond chuckle. 

“No, Thorin, I’m dying as we speak,” he proclaimed, coughing on his end. “I’m unwell!”

Thorin sighed. “Thranduil, my dear, you will be alright. I will make sure of it. Kili will bring you some soup and cough syrup in about two hours, so try to take a nap until then, alright?”

Thranduil sniffed. “I can try, I guess. I really do feel absolutely dreadful though.”

“I am so very sorry you feel bad, my dear,” Thorin said sincerely. “I promise, I will care for you myself when I arrive home this evening. But until then, you will have to just rest as best you can.”

Thranduil whimpered. “I love you, Thorin. Just in case I die before I can tell you later, I love you and you are one of the best things to ever happen to me.”

Thorin couldn’t help the fondness he felt at that. “And I love you, Thranduil. Now rest some. You’ll be fine in no time. It isn’t the plague,” he stressed.

“Says you,” Thranduil muttered before hanging up without another word. Thorin handed Nori back his phone, shaking his head.

Nori grinned. “I thought Elves were made of tougher stuff than that?”

“ _Elves_ are,” Thorin said, giving him a flat look. “Thranduil Greenwood is not.”

~

Thorin frowned when he saw Dis’s secretary looking in the office as he sat with Dis and Fili, discussing an upcoming business trip they would be taking. She knocked at the door and Dis waved her in. “Mr. Oakenshield, Kili is calling for you,” she said, nodding at the phone on Dis’s desk. “Line four.”

“What on earth is that about?” Dis asked, handing him the phone and hitting the right button. “Isn’t he taking care of Thranduil?”

Thorin frowned as he took the call. “Kili? Is everything alright?”

“Well, Uncle, actually… Thranduil is really quite ill. He’s not dying or anything!” he said in a rush. “But-“

“But I AM dying!” Thranduil called in the background, though ‘called’ was a stretch, for he was very croaky.

“He’s not,” Kili promised. “But he’s developed a bit of a fever. He’s all red in the face. It’s probably still a cold, but I might have to stay. He’s very demanding. Also, I’m not sure if you’re aware, but your husband has no sense of decency at all,” Kili added, sounding a bit scandalized. “He complained he was hot about an hour ago and took off all his clothes and refuses to cover himself.”

Thorin snorted, rolling his eyes. “Give him the phone or put it on speaker, Kili.” When Kili did so, Thorin spoke again. “Thranduil, stop burning out my nephew’s eyes with your naked arse and at least put on a dressing gown.”

“No. I refuse. Also, I’ve never heard you complain about my naked arse before. Last I remember, you like said arse.”

Thorin chuckled. “You sound ridiculous with the stuffed nose, Thranduil. Just dress yourself, stop scarring Kili, do as he says, and rest. I’ll be home in a few hours. Try not to die until I get there with the children. You know I’m rubbish at Elven prayers, and on my heathen tongue chances are your soul would not pass into the stars correctly anyhow.”

“You mock your own husband’s deathbed, Thorin. That isn’t funny,” Thranduil berated. “You’re such a bustard sometimes.”

“Then I am your bastard,” he joked, grinning to himself.

“No, that would be Nyris, and possibly Legolas, I have absolutely no clue if I was married or not before he was conceived, but Nyris for sure,” Thranduil babbled and Thorin laughed outright.

“Alright, you terrible person. Stay alive until I get home at least,” he teased and Thranduil sighed a rattling sigh from his end.

“Hurry then, my darling husband, for I suspect by nightfall I’ll have breathed my last-“

“Oh shut it, you dramatic Elf,” Thorin said through his smile as he hung up on Thranduil, handing Dis back the phone. 

Dis raised an eyebrow. “Is he actually going to die this time? Or is he just being his usual self?”

“Definitely the latter.” Thorin turned back to the desk. “Alright, let’s finish this so I can go pick up the children and get home before their mother expires.” Fili snickered, but nodded, tugging his briefing closer to him so they could continue.

~

When Thorin opened the door to their flat, he allowed the kids past while he got the key out of the lock. “Thranduil? My dear? Are you still alive? Have you killed Kili yet?”

He steered the children into the living room to start their homework, only to have Nyris yelp and cover her eyes. “MOTHER!” she cried, and Thorin sighed dramatically when he saw Thranduil standing naked facing the window.

“Thranduil, will you go put on clothes?!” Thorin glared at him when he turned around, already turning the twins to go into the dining room rather than continue into the living room.

“I TRIED THAT!” Kili called from the bedroom. “I’ve brought him four dressing gowns already and he refuses! THINK OF THE CHILDREN, THRANDUIL!”

Thranduil tutted, turning around to face Thorin. “Oh so dramatic, it’s not as if you are strangers,” he said, walking towards the bedroom. “You’re my husband and children, seeing me naked shouldn’t be that scandalizing. Every one of you has been inside of me-“

“EW, EME!” Nyris whined before rushing towards the dining room where her brother and sister were at the same time Thorin barked “Thranduil!” and Thranduil chortled as he disappeared down the hallway.

Kili yelped and Thorin slapped a hand over his face. When Kili emerged from the hallway, looking scarred, Thorin just shook his head. “Today will come with a bonus in your check, I give you my word.”

Kili just cringed. “Promise you will never send me to care for Thranduil while he’s ill ever again and we’ll call it even.”

“Is he at least a bit better?” Thorin asked, and Kili nodded, rubbing at the back of his hair.

“He took some of the medicine I got from the shop and his fever went away. He still sounds all croaky and hoarse, but he seems to feel better. He got out of bed to go be naked in the living room rather than naked in his bed at least,” Kili said.

Thorin clapped him on the shoulder and led him to the door. “Thank you, Kili. I’m sure he is grateful as well,” he assured.

Kili blushed some, looking away. “Oh, I’d say so. He said if I was older and he wasn’t my uncle by marriage, he’d probably think indecent things of me.”

Thorin groaned, letting his head fall against the wood of the door rather than open it. “I swear, he gets ill and he starts acting like he needn’t filter himself anymore. I am so sorry,” he said, opening the door to let Kili out. “The car’s still waiting, so you don’t have to catch a taxi.”

Kili nodded. “Thanks, Uncle. And hopefully he won’t be too much of a bother to you for the rest of the night,” he said, waving as he turned and left.

When Thorin returned, Thranduil had gotten dressed in one of his many flowing dressing gowns and was lounging on the sofa with a blanket pulled over him. He walked over and sat on the edge of the sofa beside his hip, reaching out to brush his hair from his face. “Oh my poor Thranduil. How do you feel?” he asked sympathetically.

Thranduil smiled. “Much better, thanks to Kili’s medicine and care,” he said, and though his voice sounded rougher than it did in the morning, his color was better. He leaned into Thorin’s hand, closing his eyes. “I’m sorry I’m such a bother when I’m unwell,” he admitted softly, but Thorin just shushed him.

“You are a bit of a character when you are ill, but my concern always outweighs any exasperation,” he assured him. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead, lingering to feel of his warmth. He pulled back and hummed. “You are a bit warm, but not feverish, so that is better.”

Thranduil smiled, reaching up to curl his long, slender hand around Thorin’s wrist. “Stay with me for just a moment. I enjoy having you near me when I feel poorly.” Thorin nodded, moving to lounge beside Thranduil so that Thranduil could shift around and lay his head on Thorin’s chest and slump against his side. “Mmmm, I love you, Thorin. As always, you’re the best spouse.” He nuzzled Thorin’s shirt.

Thorin leaned down and kissed his head. “Just doing my job.”


End file.
